Todd Grantham: ‘I understand who UGA fans want to beat’
Todd Grantham briefs the media, admits meeting Jessica Simpson. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Athens – Let’s stipulate that one or two folks on this planet care deeply about how the Dallas Cowboys fare on given autumn Sundays. But even at the highest level of pro football, there’s a difference in passion between that found in the college game, and this was reflected on, of all places, AJC.com.
A guy (blush) asked readers to submit questions for Todd Grantham. Within 12 hours came more than 350 suggestions. Yes, some were impertinent, but the majority were detailed and incisive, and that says all you need to know about the interest/scrutiny Georgia’s new defensive coordinator will encounter.
And Grantham, to his credit, welcomes it. (At least he did Friday, though it must be noted his first in-person media briefing came well before a Grantham-coached Georgia defense has lost a game.) “That’s the reason I wanted to take this job,” he said. “I understand the passion. I understand who Georgia fans want to beat and where they want to be. And I feel like we can achieve that.”
Grantham has spent the past decade working in the NFL. Not to go all Charlie Weis on you, but it’s clear Georgia’s new DC believes his new team will have a schematic advantage because of his background. Here, responding to a question submitted by Luke, was Grantham’s response about the ongoing quest of pro teams to exploit matchups, as opposed simply to playing a basic defense every down:
“The last 11 years I’ve been dealing with matchups, and that’s what you have to do in the NFL. You don’t get guys running free to the quarterback very often; the best you can hope for is getting a one-on-one. We’re going to find ways to make [opponents] in pass protection make blocks, whether it’s a back kept in or an offensive lineman.”
The 3-4 defense remains a relative novelty in collegiate circles, and that’s one reason Grantham considers it well suited to defuse exotic offenses. (See: Florida’s spread or Paul Johnson’s option. This question was offered by Chem.) “I don’t think there’s any question [the 3-4] can be better,” Grantham said. “We don’t have to declare our pass rusher until we see the formation. We can adjust.
“With the 4-3, you know the four guys who stick their hands in the dirt are going to rush. One of the things about the 3-4 is that you know one of those four [linebackers] is going to be coming 95 percent of the time. You just don’t know which one.”
Grantham has already gone recruiting — he passed his NCAA-mandated test, Steve Spurrier should know — but said Georgia isn’t suddenly in the market for every Grady Jackson lookalike of tender years. (This question was submitted by doodoo bailey and Suwaneedawg.)
“There are two types of 3-4,” Grantham said. “There’s the New England type, where you’ve got a big massive guy up front. We’re going to be a 1-gap team. In Dallas we had Jay Ratliff [a stripling at 303 pounds] make the Pro Bowl. We’ll have a standard [for nose tackles] as we go forward, but we also have to have position flexibility.”
Todd Grantham, you should know, is an impressive guy. He says much of what you’d expect — “We want to be physical and aggressive and relentless … We want the other team, when they get done playing you, not to want to play you again” — but says it in a way that makes you believe he can deliver. He made it known he expects UGA fans to deliver, too.
“I’ve heard [Georgia fans] bark when [a defender] makes a play,” he said, smiling. “Is that true? That’s my question to them.”
One thing more: The guy who asked readers to submit questions posed one of his own, this on a matter of global importance. While with the Cowboys, did Grantham meet Jessica Simpson?
“I did,” he said. Then, kidding, he pointed to reporters’ tape recorders on the table. “Turn those off.” Then this: “I can tell this little story. I was sitting in my office one Tuesday watching film [here he mimicked a guy reared back in a chair with a remote in his hand], and Tony [Romo, Simpson's former flame] walked by. He said, ‘Hi, Todd.’ Then someone else said, ‘Hi, Todd.’
“I’m like this. [Mimicking craning his neck around a corner.] It was Jess. Nice girl. Nice girl.”
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432 comments Add your comment
JacketFan
January 23rd, 2010
7:10 am
MB, any feel for a difference between the 3-4 Grantham runs v/s the 3-4 Groh runs (if any at all)? Do the two coaches have a different approach to the scheme is it one of those defenses that is pretty much set in stone?
To my Dawg brethren, pardon my ignorance, but what is “GATA?”
Dawg Rule
January 23rd, 2010
7:24 am
His #1 job: beat florida! I’m tired of UGa losing to these obnoxious mullet wearing, jean shorting rednecks!
Jim R
January 23rd, 2010
7:32 am
Enter your comments here
Jim R
January 23rd, 2010
7:34 am
The difference between Obama and Grantham is Grantham didn’t lie to get hired and he also is highly qualified and eligible. Lot of difference. JR.
2010: Year of the DAWG
January 23rd, 2010
7:45 am
Grantham’s 3-4 will shut down the spread—mark it down! Richt and Damon Evans have clearly told Grantham his #1 job is to beat florida’s O. With Grantham’s aggressive D and blitz packages, Brantley will be running for his life, throw some INTs and UGA wins that game easy–bank on it! With a real D coordinator in place, Ga takes control of this series. Florida lost a ton of talent from their players and coaches, and their new D coordinator is worthless—he was a bust with the dolphins and will not stop the Georgia offense!!! GA 37 Fla 19 — you heard it hear first–the Dawgs are back!!!!
Biggest Dawg
January 23rd, 2010
8:07 am
uic
Perspective
January 23rd, 2010
8:15 am
When was the last time UGA ever fulfilled their so-called potential based on their potential or incoming class draft rank? They will once again fall short in the SEC, and to be honest, no one outside the state of Georgia will give a s**t
Will
January 23rd, 2010
8:26 am
Mark:
More than any sports journalist I read, you write and think to the moment, the immediate rather than to the bold of the whole (e.g., your infamous pronouncement regarding the Braves and the 1927 Yankees after the Braves swept the Yankees in the first two games of the World Series, the recent burial of the georgia tech basketball coach after the loss to UGA and the annointment of Coach Fox prior to the terrible bench coaching in the second half of the MSU game).
Although I believe Coach Richt has hired a good defensive coordinator who will be successful in Athens, let’s not get caught up in the moment. This is an NFL coach who has never coordinated a college defense. Our new coordinator has hired a defensive coach who has never ventured beyond the northeast. Does that mean they can’t be successful? Certainly not and they will be but there is going to be a learning curve that cannot be mastered in practice and discussion. For that reason, I expect the early part of next season to be a struggle for both of them. This will most likely be a contributing variable in tough, early games against South Carolina and Arkansas. If it is, hold your fire – don’t write to the moment but sit back and wait for the body of work to form.
copdawg
January 23rd, 2010
8:56 am
ok, i admit, i am old. what does GATA stand for
clemkudtlhopr
January 23rd, 2010
9:30 am
I believe Luke and Chem should be put on the AJC payroll, Mark Bradley! Two very good questions to ask? And then you come up with “ever met Jessica Simpson?”
Gt4ever
January 23rd, 2010
9:40 am
We will run ALL over this guy if he runs a 3 4 defense….. Good Hire UGA. We will surely appreciate this come next November….
Buckhead Bulldog
January 23rd, 2010
9:44 am
JacketFan and copdawg:
GATA= Get After Their Arse[sic]
Suwaneedawg
January 23rd, 2010
9:54 am
Suggestion to buLLdawg, keep it short an pithy my friend. I guarantee most of us are not getting through your postings before scrolling to the next one. Just a suggetion, we don’t mind skipping over you if you must be long winded.
those games meant nothing to tech
January 23rd, 2010
10:00 am
we could play a 1-3 defense and beat TEch, cause those games “against georgia aren’t that big a deal” are they coach johnson? ..now coach johnson has AL TO GROH HIM SOME NADS TO GO ALONG WITH HIS JOHNSON…’COURSE WHAT HAS GEORGIA DONE SINCE 1980″ WORDS TO REMEMBER RIGHT COACH… 736624143024..course those scores mean nothing to TECH lmfao
904DAWG
January 23rd, 2010
10:02 am
I want to see JAKAR HAMILTON on the field game 1 laying some lumber!
904DAWG
January 23rd, 2010
10:06 am
#1 beat Florida!!!
#2 beat Florida!!!
#3 beat Florida!!!
#4 beat UT
#5 beat Auburn
#6 beat Bama
#7 beat SC
#8 beat LSU
#9 beat the rest of the SEC
#10 continue beating Tech – a given!
Jack Schitt
January 23rd, 2010
10:10 am
@ 2010: Year of the DAWG (on your 7:45 post) I see you have already given up your New Year’s resolution of laying off the crack pipe. Stop with the “bank on it” and “mark it down” crap. Write this down….”you are an idiot”. I can also tell by your syntax and spelling that you must be a UGA “gradiate”. I really enjoyed the phrase
“you heard it hear first–the Dawgs are back!” I am fairly sure it should be “you heard it HERE first”. LMAO at you. Now get off the library computer and go home. I am sure the trailer needs some repairs…you stooge! Now you can say you know Jack Schitt.
.
January 23rd, 2010
10:11 am
Tron & JB, your mothers calling….your bottles ready, time to come in and go to bed.
Kids like you two make UGA look back . Cool it!
old coach
January 23rd, 2010
10:15 am
buLLdog,
I just can not understand why UGA would not relieve all of the coaches in Athens and just let YOU run the program!! You sir, are a mullet!!!
.
January 23rd, 2010
10:18 am
Bad..sp…that little devil hit me in the back.
Gt4ever
January 23rd, 2010
10:31 am
And then there was 2010…….. Good grief, is it a surprise that most UGA graduates have the gift of gab….. lmao.
Alphare
January 23rd, 2010
10:38 am
Who cares about schematic advantages or 3-4 or 4-3 or physical or tricks, just beat Florida, all dawgs will be happy.
Well, if you can beat the gators in a consistent basis, chances are you will be SEC East champ, then the next thing you know, you are only 1-game away from being a National Champ contender.
gadawgs
January 23rd, 2010
10:42 am
Mark-
What do you think the chances are of stealing Lance Thompson (LB/Asst. Coach) away from TN? I know it’s a long shot but he is a very good coach and recruiter (and he is also from GA).
Yo?
January 23rd, 2010
10:46 am
GATA? Am I missing an acronym?
Yo?
January 23rd, 2010
10:48 am
OH? GATA….how clever.
» SEC links: Little men get after it for Gators-Gamecocks John Clay’s Sidelines
January 23rd, 2010
10:53 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC talks to new Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. [...]
Todd G
January 23rd, 2010
11:11 am
I’m still in shock that Damon Evans paid me $750,000, when I was only making $250,000 as a line coach with the cowboys!! I know I was their 5th choice, but I guess they needed someone real bad, so I’ll take the money!!!!
Ex Dawg Fan
January 23rd, 2010
11:28 am
Ask him if he knows of any “Good” head coaches.
Ex Dawg Fan
January 23rd, 2010
11:33 am
#1 IF YOU HAVE A TOP 5 RECRUITING CLASS COMPETE AT THE TOP 5 LEVEL.
#2 DONT BLAME YOUR ASSISTANTS WHO ARE ONLY FOLLOWING YOUR ORDERS.
#3 WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OR TWO, AT THE LEAST GET TO THE BIG GAME LIKE ALL THE OTHER SEC TEAMS DO WITH LESS TALENT…. OF OOURSE THEY ALL MADE HEAD COACHES CHANGES TO GET THERE, NOT ASSISTANT CHANGES….
#4 SEE #1 AND REPEAT WHAT FOLLOWS.
Pi$$onaDawg
January 23rd, 2010
11:43 am
Damnit if he don’t have Richt HAIR. Will he be selling John Deere’s and Allueminiminumum Sliding.?
Pi$$onaDawg
January 23rd, 2010
11:49 am
904DAWG of the 10 games you named how many will you win. Why didn’t you put in your “sisters of the blind” games. UGA should be a 7 win team every year easy.
Uhmm, don't the Dallas Cowboys stink?
January 23rd, 2010
11:53 am
I mean really, what is the big deal of a coach from a losing NFL team moving to a losing college team. Seems like just a new way to lose to me.
GaGator
January 23rd, 2010
12:10 pm
Bill Parcells favors the 3-4 defense in Miami. The Gators new defensive
coordinator is from the Miami staff and very familiar with the 3-4.
I don’t know why you think Grantham is the best thing since sliced bread and his
3-4 is better than anyone else’s and now you are going to dominate the Gators.
WRONG, players win games and schemes DON”T, and you have a long way to go before you get back to the Dooley years. As long as you keep Richt around, you may beat the Gators once every 10 years or so.
GaGators
January 23rd, 2010
12:23 pm
Schemes don’t win games, huh? Ok, Can Urban Meyer win without the spread scheme then?
GaGators
January 23rd, 2010
12:24 pm
If the 3-4 doesn’t matter, why are you blogging about it, saying ti doesn’t matter?
GaGators
January 23rd, 2010
12:28 pm
Here’s what Gator fans need to see.
1- Nich Saban had the best defense in the NCAA this year
2- Nick Saban’s Defense killed the spread
3- Nick Saban wanted Grantham as his DC
Get it? What abut that is so hard to understand?
GaGators
January 23rd, 2010
12:31 pm
The Gators new DC is not in the same league as Grantham
1- When Saban left miami, not 1 team picked up Edwards, so Miami kept him due to contract
2- When Saban got to Miami, he didn’t offer the job to Edwards, who was n staff
3- When Saban left Miami, he didn’t offer the Bama DC or his LB position to Edwards
4- When Granthan got to Cleveland as DC, he fired Edwards
5- When Saban got to Miami, he offered the DC position to Grantham
GaGators
January 23rd, 2010
12:36 pm
The reason the NFL doesn’t like Florida QB’s is because they run a system offense. It’s not pro style. Meyer had Leak win a Natl Champ, but couldn’t start in the NFL. Meyer’s Ytah QB was much more productive than Tebow. It’s just because of the system. Any QB can succeed in that system, it’s like Hawaii ran a few years ago when they set all those records and then Georgia killed them in the Bowl game.
Gatorzip74
January 23rd, 2010
12:37 pm
Dawg Fans,
Same loser attitude, same loser results. Don’t get your hopes up!
Gatorzip74
January 23rd, 2010
12:41 pm
Gator Fans,
Did some Jackass Dawg fan actually predict a 37-19 UGA win? The DEA needs to set up HQ in Athens.
GaGator
January 23rd, 2010
12:43 pm
Only complete jerks copy a person ID
toofless in tennerssee
January 23rd, 2010
12:43 pm
How much are the tix for the UGA and UT basketball game today?
Gatorzip74
January 23rd, 2010
12:43 pm
Gator Fans,
Did some Jackass Dawg fan actually predict a 37-19 UGA win? I’m calling my congressman and lobbying for the DEA HQ to set up in Athens. You UGA fans are hilarious and good for a laugh even during recruiting season.
GaGator
January 23rd, 2010
12:44 pm
To the Georgia fan that is using my ID(GaGator) lame A$$.
Meyer could beat the dawgs with any scheme.
Banned By Cindy
January 23rd, 2010
12:44 pm
start barking, finish biting.
Gatorzip74
January 23rd, 2010
12:46 pm
GaGator,
What do you expect from a fan of a loser school? Ask him how his vacation to Shreveport was?
Gatorzip74
January 23rd, 2010
12:52 pm
Gators,
Our entire recruiting class would start immediately for the Dawgs. If we can sign Seantrel Henderson and the Green boys out of Tampa Catholic, it won’t matter scheme lines up against us. Even the kids that Kiffin screwed over aren’t looking seriously at UGA, if they are they’re not that good.
George Edwards--The New Willie Martinez!
January 23rd, 2010
12:54 pm
Florida should be worried about their new DC.
Miami was ranked almost LAST in the NFL in scoring defense, #25 out of 28 teams.
Dallas Cowboys were ranked #2 in scording defense.
Edwards reminds me a lot of Willie–bend but don’t break. Give up a LOT of points. Make excuses.
6th sense
January 23rd, 2010
12:54 pm
I see dumb people. All the time.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=ncf&pollId=84764
Northern Ga Dawg
January 23rd, 2010
12:56 pm
Gator fans–your run is over. Ga finally has a real D coordinator, the only missing piece. With florida losing most of their talent and several good coaches there is no way they can beat Georgia this year. UGA is loaded with returning talent, will have the best oline in the SEC and their dline will dominate florida’s depleted oline!!! Plus, meyer may not even come back—he’s in bad health. Look for a good beatdown by the Dawgs this year in jacksonville—I’ll be barking all night long after that win baby!!!